EOIR Announces Latest Disciplinary Actions Under Rules
of Professional Conduct

One Receives Final Orders; Three
Receive Immediate Suspension

The Executive Office for Immigration Review
(EOIR) has taken disciplinary action against four attorneys after charging
them with violations of the rules of professional conduct for immigration
practitioners provided in Title 8 of the Code of Federal Regulations (8 CFR
Parts 3 and 292). The attorneys’ rule violations arose out of sanctions imposed
by other jurisdictions.

Disciplinary proceedings began in each case
with a Petition for Immediate Suspension and Notice of Intent to Discipline
filed with the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) by EOIR’s Office of the
General Counsel. The BIA then ordered each attorney to be suspended immediately
from practice before the Immigration Courts, the BIA, and the Immigration
and Naturalization Service (INS) and required the attorney to respond to the
alleged violations.

Final Order of Discipline

The BIA issued a Final Order of Discipline against the following attorney
after he failed to respond as required to the Notice of Intent to Discipline:

Thomas J. O’Grady, disbarred from the practice of law in the state
of Florida, was immediately suspended by the BIA on April 17, 2002. The
Final Order of October 7, 2002, suspends him from practice before the immigration
tribunals for five years.

Immediate Suspensions

The BIA ordered immediate suspensions of the following attorneys:

Richard Acevedo, disbarred from the practice of law in Texas, was
suspended by the BIA on October 8, 2002, pending final disposition of his
case.

Wayne A. Rodney, suspended from the practice of law in Pennsylvania,
was suspended by the BIA on October 7, 2002, pending final disposition of
his case.

Victor S. Martinez, suspended from the practice of law in California,
was suspended by the BIA on October 9, 2002, pending final disposition of
his case.

Summary

In each of the disciplinary matters cited above,
the suspended attorney was directed to notify promptly, in writing, any clients
with cases currently pending before the BIA, the Immigration Courts, or the
INS that he or she may no longer represent clients before these tribunals.

The rules of professional conduct include provisions
specifying grounds for disciplinary action, requirements for receiving and
investigating complaints, and procedures for conducting hearings. The rules
also authorize the BIA to suspend immediately a practitioner who has been
subject to disbarment, suspension, or resignation with an admission of misconduct
as imposed by a state or federal court, pending a summary proceeding and final
sanction.

EOIR announces these disciplinary actions to
inform the public about practitioners who are not authorized to represent
any matter before an immigration tribunal. EOIR also posts a list of suspended
and expelled practitioners on its Web site at www.usdoj.gov/eoir.

EOIR, a component of the Department of Justice,
is responsible for providing due process to individuals who are charged with
immigration law violations. EOIR has more than 220 Immigration Judges located
in 51 Immigration Courts nationwide to conduct proceedings and decide individual
cases. The agency also includes the BIA to hear appeals of Immigration Judge
decisions and the Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer to handle
employment‑related immigration matters.